Kangaroo tail 'bribe' has poll rival hopping

AN Australian politician is handing out kangaroo tails to Aborigines to win their votes in a forthcoming state election.

John Elferink hopes to retain his seat in the Northern Territory parliament and is campaigning in his remote desert constituency ahead of Saturday's vote.

His Country Liberal party bought 200 kangaroo tails - a "bush tucker" delicacy costing about £1.80 each in local butcher's shops - as a goodwill gesture.

While it is illegal for candidates to offer inducements in return for votes, Mr Elferink insisted that he rarely went to his voters empty-handed, even before the election was called.

But his Labour opponent, Harold Furber, accused Mr Elferink of making poor Aboriginal communities feel obliged to vote for him.

The Northern Territory's Chief Electoral Officer, Barrie Hamilton, said the issue was a "very grey area". While he did not consider the kangaroo tails a bribe, he said he would need to take legal advice if an official complaint was made.

Mr Elferink was recently ordered to stop handing out playing cards featuring his photograph. His office said yesterday he had "gone bush" and was not available for comment.